buildings with annex L2 systems

[John@EPL]

Hi all,

A customer of mine has just contracted a local fire company to install 24 buildings with new fire systems. The standard type of building is a converted large Victorian terrace with 6 -10 flats in each. Sometimes the flats come in the form of rear ground floor extension annexes.  The local fire company  has not included these annexes within the building L2 system due to the fact they are self contained ground floor annexes with separate entrances etc.

Question is is there I can get a definitive answer on whether these annexes as owned by the same landlord and connected to the same building should be connected to the same L2 system? or are they just treated as being like a next door house, and hence should probably be fitted with mains smokes etc.

Normally my defining criteria on this topic is ask the local council environment department who licenses these type of properties. This local council however have no opinion or specialist knowledge on the subject.

However, when the flats get populated with council tenants they are the first to ask for fire certs.

Any advise appreciated, as once commissioned I will be taking over service and maintenance.
Thanks
John

[kurnal]

It depends on the degree of fire separation between the annexes and the rest of the building. if fully separated by 1 hour fire resisting construction then they could be omitted, if less than this then they should be integrated into the alarm system for the remainder of the buildlngs.

[John@EPL]

I guess in that case these annexes are  separated by a 9" brick wall. However where there are say 3 annexes in a row I bet there wouldn't be an hour resistance in the loft cavity. So would the 3 annexes require a collective alarm system for their portion of the building?  or just LD2 mains interlinked?
thanks.

[kurnal]

Between the annexes- assuming they are all ground floor- there should be 1 hour fire separation including the roof void. If there isnt then there should be. Life is not likely to be at risk if the separation is missing in this case- but property protection is the issue. So detection is not a suitable alternative. I wouldnt interconnect the alarms even if the separation is missing here. Its the wrong alternative and is not equivalent.

[John@EPL]

Thanks for the advice.